Day 24. Accidental Baby Acquisition with Scott - Sineater
No one, literally no one, was surprised. Really, if this was going to happen to any of them then everyone's money would have been on Scott.
Tonight had been the annual Tracy Industries Christmas Ball, the one occasion their Dad had always insisted every Tracy attend. Even Grandma had been known to come. But tonight Scott was the only Tracy in attendance as an earthquake had hit Nepal and everyone else was there, including Penny and Parker. Grandma and Brains were running point at home. The only reason Scott wasn't out there too was the still-healing rib fracture.
(He was fine, honest, but Grandma had put her foot down. Another week because he couldn't do as he was told. Didn't matter that the little tumble he had taken was just that – little. Grandma was in one of her moods. Not that Scott would ever dare to tell her that to her face…)
He'd spent the last four days mooching around Manhattan and New York, sampling little out-of-the-way family run deli's and patisseries, finding new coffee favourites, and he'd discovered an antique shop that he'd spent a small fortune in for presents for his brothers that he knew he'd never have found elsewhere in a million years.
But the time he liked the most was after hours. Manhattan rarely slept, even in the early hours of the morning something was usually open and with customers, but this close to Christmas there was nothing. The massive winter storm that had dumped 2 weeks' worth of snow on the city in just 40 hours went a long way towards that. Scott just loved the feeling of freedom, one he hadn't had since he was…very, very young.
After the festivities had died down Scott, bundled up in his thick dark blue cashmere overcoat and a bright red silk scarf, took his customary walk. The only sound was his own footfall, the slightly muted sound of crisp snow crunching underfoot bringing fond memories to mind. The snow swirling around him muffled everything else, even the sound of the wind as it fell thickly.
Suddenly a piercing wail split the air.
Scott was running before he even registered it, down a side road and then another as the cries became louder and louder. He knew that sound so very, very well. He'd heard it four times over. Eventually he stumbled over a box, almost spilling out the precious contents.
It was a baby.
Quickly Scott unwound his scarf and bound it about the baby and the meagre scrap of material that had been used as a blanket. He unbuttoned his coat and placed the infant in as close to his heart as possible, buttoning the coat around it and thankful that with a broken rib he'd been unable to exercise so he'd lost a small amount of mass, otherwise there wouldn't have been room to button up again.
He quickly looked around for the baby's mom, but there was no one in sight, not even any footprints as the falling snow . His priority now was to get the baby into the warm, and he called up EOS as he walked briskly back to Tracy Towers.
'EOS, mark where I was. Is there any signs of life around?'
'Negative, Scott. You and whoever you are carrying are the only life signs I see for quite some distance out and about. There are some signs within the buildings.'
'Make a note, please, and put me through to the local police.'
'FAB.'
'Is the rescue going well?'
'The rescue is going well, Scott. Connecting you now.'
What followed was a brief conversation as Scott sped home, describing what and where he had stumbled upon the baby and where he was going now. The detective on the other line assured him that they would put the word around and would send out officers now to make sure there wasn't someone lost and/or injured in the snow.
If Otis, the night guard, was surprised that Mr Tracy appeared before him snow-dusted and unbuttoning his coat to pull out a grizzling baby, he didn't say or show anything other than the professional face he always showed. He held the security door open and Scott walked through with a smile for him.
'Thank you, Otis.'
'You're welcome, Mr Tracy. Can I get anything for you and your guest, Mr Tracy?'
'Do we have anything that would be suitable?'
'We have a day-care area, I'm sure the CEO wouldn't mind if you rummaged through the kitchen and took some baby milk.'
There was a twinkle in Otis' eyes as he spoke gravely, and Scott couldn't help but laugh. It was a good idea, and the pair made their through the building to the wing Scott's father had transformed into a two-floor day-care area that would care for workers children if they wanted to return to work.
It didn't take long to find new-born milk, and while Otis hunted out new clothing Scott nestled the baby in the crook of his arm and fed it. It was evidently hungry, for it stopped crying immediately and almost guzzled the milk.
While Scott was burping the child Otis showed his knowledge, preparing a bath and getting towels and a nappy ready. He kept stealing glances at his boss, his eyes soft as he watched Scott handling the baby like a pro.
She had been bathed, dressed and was once more against Scott's chest, this time fast asleep, by the time the police got back in contact. They were going to send an officer to take the child to the hospital and then into custody, but Scott suggested that he would be happy to stand as guardian for now and would bring the child right over to the hospital first thing.
They weren't very happy about it, but as soon as Scott told them he could and would disturb his lawyer right now to sort it all out – secretly amused that the lawyer's name was more of a threat than his own – they soon acquiesced, for the night at least.
Scott and Otis spent the remainder of that night caring for a baby girl that couldn't have been older than a couple of weeks, if that. Even the smallest onesie was too big on her. Otis had picked out a gorgeous blue one that seemed to reflect her eyes.
He had given EOS strict instructions not to say anything to his brothers and let them concentrate on the rescue, and for her to start looking to see if she could find out anything about how she'd been abandoned and if there was any sign of her mother. And Scott alternated pacing the floor and sitting down while he waited for it to be a reasonable hour to call his lawyer, Otis plying him with coffee and cookies from time to time.
Six am sharp and Scott was on the phone. He hadn't slept but she had, wrapped up snuggly against his chest, and Scott had yet to put her down despite Otis' offering. Lester Breitenbach (of Breitenbach, Rossi & Baumgarten, of course) appeared on the screen without a hair out of place and didn't so much as bat an eyelid at Scott's explanations and what he wanted moving forward. He made notes, nodded and told Scott to leave it with him.
By the time seven o'clock rolled around Otis had been replaced by the day security guard Jason, but he had stuck around and had managed to persuade Scott to let him hold the baby so Scott could get ready to leave for the hospital and the police. It was one of the quickest times he'd got himself together outside of rescues, and they were ready for the car when it arrived.
Eight am and Scott was shaking Lester's hand at the hospital after being handed temporary guardianship paperwork. He didn't know what judge had been woken up early to sign that release, but he knew he owed the man, and his lawyer.
The nurses all cooed over the baby, and for once Scott wasn't the centre of all female attention – a fact he was overjoyed at. She was given thorough testing and proved to be a really good baby, only crying at the blood draws.
They asked him several times what her name was and Scott put on his thinking cap while he watched them work and he held her and fed her.
By early afternoon Scott was drooping. He'd been awake for over 36 hours and was beginning to get tired. The police had come and gone, satisfied at the guardianship was in order. Coffee and sandwiches had been delivered and Scott was just waiting for the last few results to come back when his wrist comm buzzed. He shifted so that only his head was visible to his brothers.
Virgil and John looked exhausted, and were dishevelled and dusty but triumphant. John cracked a huge yawn before he'd even managed to say anything, causing Scott to chuckle, but Virgil's eyes immediately narrowed.
'Scott – why are you in a hospital, and why do you look almost as tired as I feel?'
Scott's chuckle turned into a full laugh.
'Get everyone together so we can talk, will you?'
'FAB.'
It didn't take long for all four brothers and Kayo, Grandma and Brains, Penny and Parker to appear from their various comms, John filling Scott in on the rescue while they waited for everyone to come online.
'Ok, before anyone says anything, I am not injured.'
'But you are in a hospital?'
'Yes, Gordon, I am. Let me show you why.'
He moved his watch so that they could see his upper body instead of just his face, and he watched as everyone's eyes went wide and then softened. Then everyone started talking at once.
At all the noise she woke up with a startled cry, and Scott immediately began gently jostling her and she settled quickly, eyes fixed on him for a moment before they closed and sleep claimed her again.
'Everyone – this is Tiffany Charlotte Tracy and I am her legal guardian until such time as her family can be found.'
'Only you could go to New York City for a charity ball and come home with a baby, Scott.'